As the title implies, I'm going to analyze the Korean Pro Leenock and his very aggressive 10 Roach Rush designed to kill FFE or Nexus-first protoss openings before the 8minute mark. You might remember Leenock using this style to defeat Naniwa in the finals of MLG Providence (if not, I'll provide links below). At the time, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the victory – Leenock was considered the underdog, and there were more than a few discussions on TL and on Reddit about how successful Leenock's early pressure was at exploiting Naniwa's FFE. The hype has died down a bit, but I think enough time has passed to revisit this build!

Many zerg players struggle and struggle playing a macro style against greedy protoss players who open nexus-first or forge fast-expand. This build is partly designed to keep protoss players "honest". The basic idea is to fake an expansion, get ling speed to deny scouting, and cancel the hatchery to execute an all-in Roach/Ling timing attack before Stargates or Warpgate tech finish:

10Roach and 20 Speedlings arrive at opponent's base at 7:20.

Before the start of season 6, I spent about a week practicing new styles of ZvP and I was surprised at how successful this build can be. It's very strong, hard to scout, and even harder to stop. It's not invincible by any means, and it's certainly not a "be all end all" to ZvP, but it is an effective all-in to incorporate in your set of ladder or tournament builds and I encourage all you Zerg players to experiment with it!

NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, the stream video went blank between 7:00 and 20:15. Two of the replay analysis have been restreamed here (sorry for the inconvenience!):http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/310280534

This is the MOST important part of the build. Your first 6 zerglings are so crucial in denying your protoss opponent the crucial information he needs to respond to your attack.

Step 1: Chase away his initial probe so that you can fill up your gas without him knowing.Step 2: Get a Zergling to the xel naga towers (Especially important on a map like shakuras where the Xel vision covers the whole middle of the map).Step 3: Get a Zergling to the protoss front to "Spot" any units/probes leaving the base.Step 4: Scout any possible locations where he could hide a probe. Step 5: Deny any zealot/stalker scouting (Sometimes players send 2 zealots, watch game against CCDP)

Keep in mind you could also position overlords for map vision. Below are a few examples of how you can scout with your lings (Forgive the elementary design!)

The most important aspect of the execution is actually the above note on "Denying Scouting". I really can't emphasize the importance of using those zerglings to kill scouting probes and zealots.

Assuming you've successfully kept your opponent in the dark, you should encounter a pretty soft protoss defense: 1-2 Cannons, 1-2 sentries, maybe a zealot or stalker. Cannons will always be the highest DPS so typically you'll want to focus those down first, but you could opt to kill pylons first too. For example...

Either option is viable, the thing to remember is not to be shy with your roach engagement – Get up close and try to focus down those cannons and units! You want to have all 10 of your roaches within range of attacking a cannon. If there are two cannons, I usually take 5 roaches to each side and snipe both simultaneously. Once any cannons within range are destroyed, break in through a pylon, forge, or cyber core and kill probes with zerglings. If he has a very light defense because he's intending to produce voidrays, move your roaches in right away and go for the pylons powering the Stargate. You should be able to kill it before any air units are out.

1) Could you transition and expand after the roaches and lings are out? (Say 50ish supply)2) How can a protoss player scout and respond to this?3) If the protoss player is denied scouting info, are they forced to blindly build additional cannons?4) Can this build be used against any none-FFE builds?

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EU High Masters Protoss ~ Grubby: "I'd rather play a strategy that is worse, but that I feel confident in, than play the better strategy, not really feeling it and not being 100% behind it" ~ Sad Zealot Fan </3

If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

14/14 is to keep P in the dark.

Gasless into roach/ling is pretty easy to spot - since you need more than 4 lings to kill 1 zealot, without speed.

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

14/14 is to keep P in the dark.

Gasless into roach/ling is pretty easy to spot - since you need more than 4 lings to kill 1 zealot, without speed.

With the 3rd base, I actually want him to scout. I have a queen and creep to help my slow lings keep him out of my natural, and speed should still finish in time for me to catch his zealots without having to show any roaches.

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

gassless = gl denying probe scouts. Your claimed timing of 7:45 and Leenocks 7:10 is the difference between a protoss who doesn't have warpgates / a completed stargate, or one who does.

edit: this type of all-in usually straight up wins or loses, it's rare to find an inbetween. Sure yours has more economy and has stronger reinforcements, but I sure hope those extra speedlings can jump over forcefields because that's the timing you're playing off of.

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

gassless = gl denying probe scouts. Your claimed timing of 7:45 and Leenocks 7:10 is the difference between a protoss who doesn't have warpgates / a completed stargate, or one who does.

That's what I was thinking. If you want to just put on pressure while macroing, do what Leenock does against Naniwa in the other games - same build but no hatch cancel, use the roaches to pick off forge/cyber/gateway/pylons but don't commit to an all-in, drone behind it.

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

gassless = gl denying probe scouts. Your claimed timing of 7:45 and Leenocks 7:10 is the difference between a protoss who doesn't have warpgates / a completed stargate, or one who does.

That's what I was thinking. If you want to just put on pressure while macroing, do what Leenock does against Naniwa in the other games - same build but no hatch cancel, use the roaches to pick off forge/cyber/gateway/pylons but don't commit to an all-in, drone behind it.

oic, then yea if you don't want to all-in then it's a different story altogether

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

gassless = gl denying probe scouts. Your claimed timing of 7:45 and Leenocks 7:10 is the difference between a protoss who doesn't have warpgates / a completed stargate, or one who does.

That's what I was thinking. If you want to just put on pressure while macroing, do what Leenock does against Naniwa in the other games - same build but no hatch cancel, use the roaches to pick off forge/cyber/gateway/pylons but don't commit to an all-in, drone behind it.

oic, then yea if you don't want to all-in then it's a different story altogether

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

gassless = gl denying probe scouts. Your claimed timing of 7:45 and Leenocks 7:10 is the difference between a protoss who doesn't have warpgates / a completed stargate, or one who does.

That's what I was thinking. If you want to just put on pressure while macroing, do what Leenock does against Naniwa in the other games - same build but no hatch cancel, use the roaches to pick off forge/cyber/gateway/pylons but don't commit to an all-in, drone behind it.

oic, then yea if you don't want to all-in then it's a different story altogether

No no I'm agreeing with you, it's still a 14g14p.

haha i realized after I posted and didn't want to bother editing hoping you'll just read it the right way ^^

On March 02 2012 07:50 Oboeman wrote:If you open gasless instead of 14/14 you can squeeze in more drones, and then you don't even need to cancel the hatch. I hit a bit later, but with bigger economy for more speedling reinforcements. Usually I hit 7:45ish with 8 roaches and 20 lings, producing lings continuously off of double injects. It's still early enough that protoss automatically dies if they didn't build a bunch of extra cannons. The roaches take down the wall and the constant stream of speedlings finishes him off even if he made a void ray.

I also have a variation of it (similar to zenio's baneling bust) where I take a fast 3rd hatch instead of a second queen, to make it much more difficult to scout. I try to show him the 3rd base, but prevent him from scouting my gas. I hit with 8 roaches and rally speedlings from 3 hatches with one queen.http://drop.sc/103680

gassless = gl denying probe scouts. Your claimed timing of 7:45 and Leenocks 7:10 is the difference between a protoss who doesn't have warpgates / a completed stargate, or one who does.

edit: this type of all-in usually straight up wins or loses, it's rare to find an inbetween. Sure yours has more economy and has stronger reinforcements, but I sure hope those extra speedlings can jump over forcefields because that's the timing you're playing off of.

He usually won't have enough forcefields. You are correct that the timing lines up with warpgate and void ray. In the replay I posted, warpgate finished just as I was attacking, and he had a void ray out, and it didn't matter. If toss builds a bunch of extra cannons, they repel it quite easily, but without the cannons, they still die.

If you want to hit earlier, you can cut more drones, letting you bank more money for the roaches. That works too, but you'll have fewer lings later on. It's still intended to be an all in, despite having more hatcheries. They just give it more reinforcing power. You have the option of scouting his wall off before committing to zerglings, and you can drone behind it if he cannoned up, but you'll be behind anyway because you made the roaches.